Admissions Counselor PRN
MeadowWood Behavioral Health Hospital•Saienni Farms, DE
About The Position
The Admissions Counselor facilitates admissions, clinical intake assessments, and utilization review processes to support continuity of care at the most appropriate level and effective use of patient benefits and resources. This is an overnight weekend PRN role, with scheduled hours Saturday 7 p.m.–7 a.m. and Sunday 7 p.m.–7 a.m.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a social services field required if allowed by the state.
- Current licensure appropriate to the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
- CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in a social services field, such as psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, or nursing, or RN.
- One or more years of experience in mental or behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity.
- First aid, depending on state or facility requirements.
Responsibilities
- Respond to inquiries about the facility within facility policy timeframes.
- Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
- Verify benefit eligibility and communicate eligibility to the business office and the patient or significant other.
- Collaborate with medical and psychiatric personnel on recommendations regarding pending referrals.
- Coordinate admissions and transfers from referral sources and between facility levels of care.
- Maintain knowledge of milieu management.
- Promptly communicate projected admissions to designated internal representatives.
- Obtain clinical information from referral sources or patients, including medical comorbidity information, before admission when possible.
- Schedule and complete pre-admission assessments when applicable, consult with the admitting physician, and communicate disposition recommendations to the patient or family.
- Prepare and maintain medical record documentation to support authorization for the requested level of care.
- Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission before admission when possible and within payor timeframes.
- Admit patients to the registration and accounting system and complete admission and consent forms with them.
- Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude; acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
- Prioritize patient safety and provide excellent customer service with a sense of urgency.
- Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, according to special precautions or individualized supervision guidelines.
- Coordinate care and appropriate follow-up and referrals for patients who are not admitted.
- Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.
